Aston Martin’s three factory-backed entries have safely negotiated the opening stages of the Nürburgring 24 hour race as some 200 plus cars jostled for position from the rolling start at 4pm (CET). These cars are joined by three further Aston Martin privateer entries who are running strongly after the opening stages.

The number 5 V12 Zagato (green) is currently 5th in the SP8 class with sister car, the number 3 V12 Zagato (red) in 7th while an impressive treble stint from Darren Turner, making his Nürburgring 24 hour debut, saw V8 Vantage number 6 move from an initial grid placing of 4th to 1st in the SP10 class as Turner pitted to hand over driving duties to Jurgen Stumpf and the pit stop saw the car move to 2nd place.

Privateer teams Mathol Racing and Team Pflanz are running 3rd and 9th respectively in the SP10 class, driving V8 Vantage GT4s while Team Bratke hold 10th in SP8 in their V8 Vantage.

As the unpredictable Eiffel weather saw rain spells throughout the morning the Aston Martin team opted to start on wet tyres – a decision that has to be made around two hours before the start of the race in order to join the extensive Nürburgring starting grid. As rain subsided and the track dried, all three cars soon switched to slick tyres in very busy pit lane as other teams followed suit.

Chris Porritt, who started the race in Aston Martin’s green V12 Zagato and finished his first stint after around 90 minutes said: “It is good to get the first stint under my belt and after the initial adrenaline rush I can relax for a while now.

“There was a dry line around the track pretty much on the first lap so we switched to slicks as soon as we could. As we’re effectively running a road car here we have the advantage of DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) which is really useful when you have short spells of rain – you just push the button to engage it and saves changing tyres.”

Richard Meaden has now taken over from Porritt in the number 5 V12 Zagato while Horst von Saurma takes the wheel of the number 3 car after Wolfgang Schuhbauer completed the opening stint.

Meanwhile in Nevada, the US Aston Martin team is running a standard production Rapide in tandem with the Nürburgring 24 Hour race at the Spring Mountain Motor Sports Ranch with Road & Track magazine. The car is raising money for charity while being subjected to an endurance test in 38 degree heat and has completed 67 laps and 181 miles so far. Road & Track Editor, Matt De Lorenzo is currently lapping the 2.7 mile circuit.